Apparatus for cleansing corks.



PATENTED MAR. 3 1908.

M. AGH.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING GORKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 1907.

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No. 880,955. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

M. AOH.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING CORKS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 1907.

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"In: NDRRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, u c

MAX AGE, OF EGG, VORARLBERG, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING CORKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed January 21, 1907. Serial No. 353,316.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX AoH, a subject of the King of Bavaria, residingat Egg, Vorarlberg, in Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleansing Corks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for the efiicient cleansing of corksused as stoppers for bottles, or as bungs for barrels and the like, themachine being suitable for removing cork-powder and the like from newcorks and deposits or impurities from used corks which are to be re-usedas bungs. The cleansing is effected by simple mechanical means, thecorks being energetically brushed, washed and rinsed, then treated withrollers to squeeze out the water, and again rinsed so that they leavethe machine in a perfectly clean condition.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing,Figure 1 being a side-elevation of the machine and Fig. 2 a front-view,with parts in section.

The corks enter the machine through the feed-hopper a, which ispreferably traversed by the perforated tube 1) for the supply of hotwater. The hopper a and other members of the machine are carried by aframe a Below the hopper are arranged brushes, and to facilitate thepassage of the corks to these brushes, and prevent congestion, avibratory plate or shaker c is preferably attached to the lower edge ofthe hopper on one side and to the movable brush d. The brush-mechanismcomprises a pair of brushes (Z d facing each other, and preferably alsobrushes 6 arranged laterally with regard to the brushes (1 d so that thecorks pass through a passage having brushes on all sides.

Certain of the brushes are adjustable but normally stationary, the otherbrushes being reciprocated by suitable means. In the example illustratedthe brushes 6 are attached to the side frames of the machine. The stock(1 of the brush (1 is supported by screwthreaded rods (1 which passthrough the transverse plate d of the frame a and are adjustable bymeans of wing-nuts d the brush 61 being thrust towards the brush (1 bysprings (1 and therefore being resilient. The brush d is oscillated bymeans of the eccentric f and eccentric strap rod f which is rigidlyfixed to the stock d so that it receives upward and downward motion forthe purpose of producing friction on the corks and is alsointermittently thrust towards the stationary brush d. The stock (1 ofthe brush d is also articulated at its lower edge at d to a link d alsoarticulated at (Z on a pin inserted in one of the holes (i of the plated fixed to the frame 0 The eccentric f is preferably driven by means ofthe chain wheels and chain g, g respectively. The eflect of theconstruction above de scribed is that the upper end of the brush followsa substantially circular path of movement while the lower edgeoscillates up and down substantially in the plane of the brush. Belowthe brushes are arranged the inclined sieve h and the cold water pipe i,so that after being rinsed with hot water from pipe I) and shaken andbrushed by the brushmechanism the corks are again thoroughly washed bythe jets of water emitted by the pipe 11 which is perforated so thatpart of the Water is ejected onto the sieve h, the soiled water beingcarried away by the duct k. The corks then pass over the pipe 1 to thesqueezing rollers Z, carried by bearings Z One of the rollers Z isrotated by means of gear wheels (not shown) from the shaft 9 of thelower chain wheel 9 said shaft being adapted to be rotated'by a crank gthe other roller Z being rotated by friction. Clean cold water from thepipe 1', also flows downwards to the rollers, so that the corks arerinsed during the squeezing operation. The clean corks pass over theinclined sieve n into a basket or other receptacle (not shown) placedbelow the machine, the water being drained off through the said sieve n.

The squeezing operation combined with rinsing, taking place after thepreliminary rinsing and brushing, completes the operation by which thecorks are entirely freed from dirt, cork-dust, or foreign matteradhering thereto.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A cork cleansing machine comprising in combination a frame, a feedhopper, stationary and movable coacting brushes in communication withsaid hopper between which the corks are caused to pass, squeezingrollers adapted to act on the corks after treatment by the brushes, andmeans intermedi ate the brushes and squeezing rollers, for treating thecorks with liquid.

2. A cork cleansing machine comprising in combination a frame, a feedhopper means for feeding liquid thereto, an adjustable stationary brushand a co-acting reciprocating brush below said hopper between which thecorks are caused to pass, squeezing rollers adapted to act on the corksafter treatment by the brushes, and means intermediate the brushes andsqueezing rollers for further treating the corks with liquid.

3. A cork cleansing machine comprising in combination a frame, a feedhopper, Vibratory. means for agitating the contents thereof means forfeeding liquid to said hopper, an adjustable stationary brush and acoacting reciprocating brush below said hopper betweenwhich the corksare caused to pass, s ueezing rollers adapted to act on the corks a tertreatment by the brushes, and means intermediate the brushes andsqueezing rollers for further treating the corks with liquid.

4. A cork cleansing machine comprising in combination a frame, a feedhopper Vibratory means for agitating the contents thereof means forfeeding liquid to said hopper, an adjustable stationary brush and aco-acting reciprocating brush below said hopper between which the corksare caused to pass an inclined sieve below the brushes, squeezingrollers adapted to act on the corks after treatment by the brushes,means intermediate the brushes and squeezing rollers for furthertreating the corks with liquid and an inclined sieve below saidsqueezing rollers.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo witnesses.

MAX ACH.

Witnesses ABRAHAM SOHLESINGER, LoUIs MUELLER.

